Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Coronation Street episode review, Wednesday 5 February 2014

Tracy refuses to go to work in
order to punish Rob but, as Deirdre sees it, he may realise he likes life
without her if she stays away. She doesn’t consider a kiss serious enough to spoil
everything they have, which is food for thought for Tracy who acknowledges they
have had some great times, but is still unsure.

Carla
drops into Barlow's Buys to see Rob who doesn’t want to be told that it was never going to work
between him and Tracy, and that he’s better off without her. Wishing to take
full advantage of their discord, Carla hatches a matchmaking plan. She invites
Tina and Rob for dinner in the Bistro without letting on the other will be
there. Both are unimpressed when they arrive at the restaurant, but stay for
dinner. It’s quite a table for Tina to be at considering Peter is there too,
but she appears unfazed.

Carla asks what they can do to persuade her not to return
to London, to which Peter replies suggestively, anything can happen in a few
days. Unfortunately for Rob, Tracy and Deirdre arrive and naturally perceive a
double date. Furious Tracy storms out, wanting nothing to do with him. Rob,
disgusted, thanks Carla for meddling, and acknowledges that Tracy had every
right to be mad.

Owen tells an excited Faye she can have everything her heart desires once the mill is converted to apartments, but Anna remains sceptical about Phelan. Gary appears to see their transition from enemies to business partners as a source of amusement, but the smile is on the other side of Owen’s face when he learns that Phelan has failed to deposit £120k to his account.

Unable to get Phelan on the phone, he pays a visit to a suitably cagey Val. “I wish I could help” she proffers unconvincingly as she plays dumb concerning both the money and her husband’s whereabouts. Back home, Owen tells Anna what we’ve all been thinking; he was crazy to get involved with Phelan and a fool to think he had changed. Anna is stunned to learn from Owen that he has already signed contracts, and that they stand to lose their home if he can’t pay back the loan.

Clear your calendars, Richie de Vries is back in town, which hails the return of the notional Dennis –
Gloria – Rita love triangle. There’s a gig in 48 hours and an urgent meeting is
required. “Get young Gloria along” insists Richie. It may be wry of Rita to
question the use of that particular adjective to describe Marianne Unfaithful, but
the hurt on her face when Dennis absent mindedly sneers that Gloria is younger
than her, evokes sympathy. His insistence that she join them appears driven
only by the need to make up for his insensitivity.

While she has been
deplorable in recent times in demeaning and failing to support Dennis, she is
treated unfairly by Gloria who makes little of her in front of Richie, accuses
her of being afraid to leave Dennis alone with her while doing nothing to
reassure her, and implies that she’s too old to appreciate the music, favouring
Doris Day and the Beverley Sisters. When she understandably won’t acquiesce to
Dennis’ request to set up an office in their spare room, Gloria immediately
offers hers, and it’s all too much for Rita who announces, “I should never have
come”.

Michelle quizzes Steve as to why
he was so reluctant to give Andrea’s number to Lloyd, and wants to know how he’d
feel if it became serious between them. He reckons he’d be “dead chuffed”, but
his expression says otherwise.

As Lloyd describes his first date shirt, Steve
tells him Andrea won’t be impressed by it. As Eileen casually flicks through her
magazine, eyes down, she calmly suggests Steve offer Lloyd some tips. “You’re
wasting your time” is his sole piece of advice, as Andrea apparently likes intelligent men
and expects good conversation. “We know someone really clever” quips Eileen as
she languidly turns the pages. I normally dislike Steve’s treatment at the hands
of this pair when they turn unnecessarily nasty, but his poor attempt at putting Lloyd off, without
offering any remotely valid reasons, does deserve a bit of chiding.

Andrea
insists on going to the Rovers to say hi to Steve and Michelle which is odd for
a first date, but may indicate where her true feelings lie. Indeed, she seems
delighted to hear of Steve’s efforts to put Lloyd off. After they leave,
Michelle and Eileen tell Steve they think Andrea is trouble, and apparently know
“women like her”. The reality is of course that Andrea is affable, likeable and genuinely considerate, and “women
like her” are a welcome sight on the street.

Well, I'm not sure about Andrea now. Both Michelle and Eileen say that she's trouble, and Eileen's opinion counts in this case. It did seem strange that Andrea wanted to come to the Rovers to see Steve on a first date, unless she was trying to make him jealous. Presumably, that's the doubt that the writers wanted to create in viewers' minds.

I don't think I will feel bad for Carla when she finds out about Tina afterall.....I felt bad for Tracy too. I love the actor who plays Owen...refer to my pic ;-)...but what is it with Owen going to easy on Phelan's wife? Remember how he tried to terrorize Stella when she was coming up short on money? LOL Loved the scene where he tried to intimidate Carl - the man who had nothing to live for and nothing to fear. lol

I agree with you about Andrea, nice to see a happy go lucky fun loving character rather than the usual "feisty". What was annoying was Michelle insisting Steve give Lloyd Andrea's number, that's not her decision to make. Surely better to ask permission before giving out numbers. --Smelloid

Hm although I like Andrea as she seems to be one of the few women on the Street who is not a harridan - I do think she has an agenda and that is Steve.

The contrived Bistro scene was ludicrous yesterday with scruffy Tina and Peter Barlow giving side to side eye movements like a couple of Thunderbird puppets and Carla being frankly overbearing. I actually felt sorry for Rob and of course in comes Treasea to make the usual tiresome scene - she is getting a bit old for this behaviour now as well.

I think Kate Ford is lovely. I look forward to each and every Tracy scene. I love that Deirdre is wise to her and deals with her accordingly.I understand from Corrie actors that I have met that she is one that is most unlike her character - her and Alison King. Long live Tracy Barlow I say!